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Mystery Artist
Christopher Bell asks: I live on the west coast of Canada and a long time ago I acquired a painting of an older English yard locomotive (puffy?) pulling a few cars and it is signed either Phil Packer...
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Feuerwehrwagen
Most people come back from holiday with sensible souvenirs. A straw donkey perhaps or maybe something pottery or perhaps a notifiable disease. Me, I brought this back from the Isle of Man. A plastic...
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Fire engine chassis
Starting with the chassis, there's nothing particularly exciting to report. The main part is a single piece with the exhaust, fuel tank, springs and drive shafts (also a single moulding - neat) stuck...
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Hydraulic legs
With a tall raised platform, the fire engine needs some legs to stop it tipping over the first time the feuerwehrmann attempts to rescue a katze from a tree. (I assume German cats get stuck up trees....
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Hydraulic arm
Now for the impressive part. The hydraulic arm that supports the cradle is made up of loads of pieces, quite a lot of which clip in to each other and must on no account come in to contact with any...
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Preiser 1180 Fire Engine
Phew, what a whopper!After around 3 hours work, I am now the proud owner of a Mercedes Benz fire engine in 1:87 scale. Finishing touches include a few spots of orange and silver paint and some...
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Mystery Motor
Here's a puzzle for you. Can anyone tell me anything about this motor? Bought for £1 out of curiosity, it runs very smoothly on 12V DC but would (according to the markings on the end) be happy on 24V....
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RM Web Live this weekend
This weekend sees the first RM Web live exhibition. When we first looked at putting a show to tie in with the forum, it was important to do something markedly different to a traditional model railway...
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Good enough?
“I can't built as well as the the RTR manufacturers, so I won't bother trying.”It's a common enough thing to hear modellers saying, especially when it's suggested that they might like to build an item...
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Mystery bell
I'm writing this sat at the kitchen table in my sisters house while dog sitting.The house is one half of a pair of cottages and mooching around, I notice a rusty bell on an outside wall.It's obviously...
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Wise words from car restorers
I've written in the past about my preference for the type of classic car magazine which shows people getting dirty and wrestling with rusty parts. Apparently I'm not normal in this, those mags full of...
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Not all toys are childs play
"Why are we looking at a Playmobil - 4469 - Nautical Expedition Ship?", I hear you cry.I'm impressed with your knowledge of the Playmobil catalogue, especially the ability to recall the serial number...
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Laser cut buildings in BRM
October's issue of BRM is an RM Web special with lots of article by member of the countries largest model railway forum. We even handed over some of the editorial duties to a couple of guest editors -...
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RM Web Live this weekend
This weekend sees the first RM Web live exhibition. When we first looked at putting a show to tie in with the forum, it was important to do something markedly different to a traditional model railway...
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Laxey Wheel in model form
One of the many wonderful things about visiting the Isle of Man is that there are interesting people to talk to, especially during the enthusiasts weekend. Early this year, when we were over there, on...
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3D Printing show 2014
Last week, I wangled a press pass to the 3D printing show in London. I'm interested in the subject and the event was well worth a visit. On display were cutting edge print machines churning out both...
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Yacht varnish advice
Here's a handy hint. The photo shows two tins of yacht varnish - my standard gloop for producing large areas of model water. On the left, a small tin of varnish. An ideal size for a modelling project...
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Inspirational buildings
After a weekend sat next to David Wright and his superbly atmospheric model buildings, I feel the urge to have a go at scribing DAS. For the moment I don't have the time but at least I managed to...
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Book Review: Top Gear Ambitious But Rubbish
They say that inside every fat person, there is a thin person trying to get out. In a similar vein, inside the behemoth that is the BBCs popular Top Gear TV programme, there is an excellent book or TV...
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Dazzle camouflage
See that ship? Not very clearly. Spotted in London a couple of weeks ago, this is the first time I've seen dazzle camouflage applied to a full-sized vessel. The theory is that the disruptive pattern...
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